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Committee advances bill to count trade-related dual-credit hours toward apprenticeships
Summary
House Bill 54 would allow work hours completed as part of dual-credit programs to count toward trade licensure hour requirements; sponsors said unions are neutral after negotiated amendments and the committee approved the bill unanimously.
House Bill 54, carried by Representative Banta, was reported favorably by the Senate committee after sponsors and industry representatives described the measure as a bridge between secondary dual-credit instruction and occupational hour requirements for trades such as plumbing and electrical work.
Brian Miller, executive vice president of the Building Industry Association of Northern Kentucky and president of the Enzweiler Building Institute, told the committee that organizers worked with unions and added an amendment that made unions neutral on the bill. "What it does for kids when you're in dual credit, your work hours that are specifically towards the profession that you're going in will count towards those enormous amount of hours that you have to get to be a plumber, an electrician," Miller said.
Committee members voiced support, with several explaining their affirmative votes and citing family experience with dual-credit or associate degree completion before high school graduation. The clerk called the roll and the committee recorded unanimous support; Chair Wheeler thanked Representative Banta for bringing the bill and directed that it be reported with a favorable expression.
The bill will proceed from committee to the full Senate for further consideration.
